This invention concerns a guide or hanger for retaining the top of a sliding door in engagement with a horizontal overhead track. For a relatively lightweight door the invention may be used as a hanger for supporting the weight of the door. For a relatively heavier door, the invention may be used as a guide with the weight of the door supported by wheels at the bottom.
It is now commonplace to employ what are known in the industry as bypass doors on closets, wardrobes, and the like. These are often known in the vernacular as sliding doors, even though the supporting mechanism most often employs wheels. In a typical installation, there are a pair of horizontal tracks along the floor and another pair of tracks on the lintel. A pair of doors ride in the upper and lower pairs of tracks with each door passing in front of or behind the other door. Collectively, the two doors close the opening and they may be opened from either jamb. To close wide openings, three or more such doors may be mounted in the tracks.
A relatively common mounting arrangement has a wheel or wheels at each upper corner of a door. There is an upper horizontal track with a downwardly extending J-shaped leg. The wheels roll in the J-shaped foot of the track to support the weight of the door. A vertical height adjustment is commonly incorporated in the connection between the wheels and door. A simple guide at each lower corner of the door slides in a bottom track. Another type of hanger has a rectangular plastic slider that rides in the J-shaped track.
Another type of installation more commonly used on heavier doors, has wheels at each lower corner of the door to ride in or on the lower track. Vertical height adjustment is provided in the connection between the wheels and door. A guide at each upper corner of the door fits into an upper track. In such an embodiment it is not usually necessary to use a J-shaped leg on the track and the upper track may simply have a downwardly-opening U-shaped channel in which the guide travels. If a J-shaped track is used, a slider may be spring biased down into the foot of the track to guide the top of the door.
A concern in sliding or bypass doors is the possibility that the door will be dislodged from the track under abuse. This can cause the door to drop a sufficient distance so that it no longer engages the top track and can topple. This is of particular concern in heavy mirrored doors because of the possibility of injury. It is a possibility aggravated when the bottom track is elevated relative to the adjacent floor. This occurs, for example, in wardrobes or closets where the floor is somewhat above the floor of the adjacent room. It is therefore desirable to provide a top hanger or guide which securely engages the top track and prevents toppling of a door even if it is dislodged from the bottom track. It is desirable that similar structure be employed for either a hanger or guide for minimizing the number of parts to be made. It is desirable that the hanger or guide engage the top track easily for facilitating installation. It is desirable that the hanger or guide be easily released from the track if desired, preferably without use of special tools.